The Effect of Foot Massage on Pain of Patients after Hysterectomy

Abstract

Introduction:Pain is a common problemamong patients after hysterectomy and patient health status and recovery process is severely affected. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of foot massage on pain of patients after hysterectomy.

Methods: This study is a clinical trial with two groups. Sixty patients with hysterectomy were eligible to enter the study by random sampling from two hospitals  including Shariati and Valiasr hospitals in Tehran in 2012 (30 interventions, 30 controls)and they were randomly assigned  to two groups by drawing a color card. The intervention group received foot massage for 20 minutes once a day during the two consecutive days after surgery. The control group received routine care without intervention. Before and after 30 minutes of intervention or routine care, the pain was measured by visual analogue pain scale (VAS). Data were analyzed by independent t-test, chi-square and Fisher exact test.

Results: It was seen that the mean difference of scores before and after the two sessions of massage in the intervention group was 2.56 and in the control group was 1.01. The result of the comparison of the two groups showed significant difference (P<0.001) which could be due to the foot massage effect.

Conclusion: Foot massage can be useful as an effective nursing intervention in controlling pain after hysterectomy.